Georgia football senior S Richard LeCounte is already at the top of some experts 2021 NFL Draft predictions.
This year’s NFL Draft featured seven Georgia players selected (two in the first round), along with a vast number of players signing un-drafted free agent contracts. One Georgia player that surprisingly didn’t hear his name called was safety J.R. Reed.
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Reed came back for his senior season in Athens and helped the Bulldogs to a Sugar Bowl victory. Reed had an incredible season, being named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award which is given to the best defensive back in the nation. On top of that, Reed was also named a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy which is awarded to the best defensive player in college football.
Although he didn’t hear his name called on draft day, Reed quickly picked up an offer from the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he signed an un-drafted free agent contract.
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With the 2020 NFL Draft coming to a close on Saturday, the focus has already shifted to next year’s draft.
On that list at #12 overall sits Georgia safety Richard LeCounte.
Last season, LeCounte accounted for 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries.
LeCounte’s play has been turning heads and is already predicted to go in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He is Sporting News’ #1 safety available for next year
“LeCounte averages 50 tackles per season the last three years with the Bulldogs, and he created seven turnovers (four interceptions, three fumble recoveries). The 5-11, 190-pound playmaker is the top safety on the board.”
Other Bulldogs that made the top-50 include incoming transfer quarterback Jamie Newman at #29, cornerback Tyson Campbell at #35 and center Trey Hill at #43.
The 2020 NFL Draft is in the books, now it’s time to look ahead to what Ohio State players could go in the 2021 draft.
The 2020 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and it was another smashing hit for the Ohio State program. Nobody could keep up with one of the best ever drafts by LSU, with a total of fourteen players taken, but the Buckeyes came in tied with Michigan (who knew) for the second-most players drafted with ten.
Now it’s time to turn our focus to next year’s draft. Hopefully, there’s still a season to play, but in the meantime, it’s interesting to look at who could be having their name called next April so that others can step up at the NFL factory headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.
As a caveat, this is a very early look and doesn’t include some juniors that could breakout (a.k.a. Dwayne Haskins). Yeah, Tyreke Smith might put it all together and jump after a mind-boggling junior year, but the call is for him to stay for another year. That’s just one example. These can — and likely will — change.
So, here’s a very early look at what Ohio State may be looking at for the 2021 NFL Draft:
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his first 2021 NFL mock draft which linked the New Orleans Saints to Ohio State Buckeyes WR Chris Olave
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It’s far too early to predict which prospects the New Orleans Saints will pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. This year’s rookies haven’t even signed their contracts yet. But that’s not going to stop us from putting together a watch list of names to remember when the college football season eventually kicks off.
That’s the approach taken by Dane Brugler for The Athletic, who connected the Saints to a wide receiver he’s very excited about: Ohio State Buckeyes junior Chris Olave. Here’s what Brugler had to say:
The Saints have a pretty good track record with Ohio State players, especially at wide receiver. Olave is leaner than ideal, but his route running skills and ball skills are NFL ready, and whenever the Buckeyes needed a big play, it was usually Olave making it happen.
Annual All-Pro wideout and Buckeyes alum Michael Thomas would certainly love that move, and it would make sense with veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders having signed only a two-year deal. The Saints could use a long-term fix in the receiving corps, even if Drew Brees isn’t around to benefit from it.
Olave, listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, broke out last season with 48 receptions for 840 yards and a dozen touchdown grabs. While he trailed teammate K.J. Hill (a seventh-round pickup by the Los Angeles Chargers this year) by nine catches for the team lead, Olave gained 204 more yards through the air, leading the Buckeyes in both receiving yards and touchdown catches.
Here are five other prospects connected to the Saints in way-too-soon 2021 mock drafts:
CB Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Mukuamu is a lanky prospect with ball skills. He intercepted four passes and totaled nine passes defensed as a sophomore, and is one of the few Gamecocks starters returning from last year on defense.
QB Jamie Newman, Georgia. A transfer expected to replace Jake Fromm, Newman has good size (listed at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds) and athleticism. He threw for 2,868 yards and gained 574 yards on the ground in his junior year at Wake Forest, but should exceed those numbers thanks to a strong Bulldogs supporting cast.
RB Travis Etienne, Clemson. Etienne returned to school for his senior year, driven to seek payback after Clemson’s loss to the LSU Tigers in the national title game. Monstrously productive, the Louisiana native has already scored 62 combined touchdowns in just 43 games played.
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama. Moses lost his junior year to a torn ACL in preseason, and he’s looking to bounce back in a big way. The next great Crimson Tide linebacker prospect has all the ability in the world, he just needs to prove he can remain healthy.
WR Devonta Smith, Alabama. Smith outplayed both Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, who were each drafted in the first round last week. He should be even more dominant in 2020 with less-established options around to take touches from him.
BR released a 2021 NFL mock draft and includes two Texas players in the first round. UT hasn’t had a first-round selection since 2013.
Three Longhorns were selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, with Brandon Jones going to Miami, Devin Duvernay getting picked by Baltimore, and Collin Johnson heading to Jacksonville. All three were selected in the third round or later, extending the five-year streak of no Texas players in the first round.
Bleacher Report has released a mock draft for the 2021 NFL Draft and predicts the streak will come to an end next year. In fact, they even predict two Longhorn players will be selected in the first round, something that has not happened since 2007.
Caden Sterns is the first predicted player off the board from Austin, as Bleacher Reports says he will go 16th overall to the Cleveland Browns. In the 2020 NFL Draft, Cleveland drafted LSU safety Grant Delpit in the second round. With opposing safety Karl Joseph’s contract set to expire after the 2020 season, the Browns could be in need of a new partner to Delpit.
No safety was selected in the first round during this year’s draft. Alabama’s Xavier McKinney was the first selected in the second round by the New York Giants.
Playing great during his freshman season, Sterns spent some of his sophomore year injured. When he was on the field, he wasn’t his normal self. To keep his first-round draft status, Sterns must return to the form he was in during his first year in Austin. Expected to be a key contributor during the 2020 season for Texas, he could even crawl up the board a few more spots with solid production.
To end the first round, Bleacher Report thinks the Baltimore Ravens will take a new offensive lineman for MVP Lamar Jackson. Samuel Cosmi could have declared for the draft this season, but elected to come back for his redshirt junior year instead.
Selected to second-team All-Big 12 last season, Cosmi is one of the best offensive lineman coming back next season. Playing left tackle for Sam Ehlinger, his athletic ability and quickness are what make him so special. He even was able to display it by scoring a touchdown against West Virginia last season.
If taken, he would be just the second offensive lineman from Texas to be drafted. Connor Williams went in the second round to the Dallas Cowboys in 2018. It has been since 2002 since the Longhorns have produced a first-round offensive lineman when Mike Williams went fourth overall to the Buffalo Bills.
With another solid season protecting Ehlinger’s blindside, Cosmi could rise up draft boards. In what is projected to be another offensive tackle heavy first round, the competition will be stiff atop the board. If Cosmi can have a first-team All-Big 12 type season for Texas, his projections will be looking towards the top 15 picks.
The 2020 NFL Draft saw ten Mountain West players hear their names called and now undrafted free agent signings are in full swing, but draft analysts across the country are already thinking about next April, when (fingers crossed) the pandemic that marked a truly unique draft season might be behind us and NFL fans can gather in Cleveland for business as usual.
It already looks like the “Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and everyone else” narrative will sustain us for a good long while, but could the Mountain West jump into that conversation? Who’s most likely to be drafted first from each team? Here are my best guesses.
Air Force
Quarterback Donald Hammond had one of the most dominant runs through conference play in recent memory and was our pick as offensive player of the year, but it wasn’t until yesterday that Navy’s Malcolm Perry got drafted in the seventh round and Zane Lewis signed with Arizona as a free agent. As a result, Hammond’s own draft bonafides may have improved and, while it will be tough to reach last year’s lofty heights a second time, another strong season could make him a late-round pick.
Boise State
There may not be a Curtis Weaver or a John Hightower in next year’s crop of talent, but cornerback Jalen Walker could vault into the conversation as one of the conference’s best defenders. In 2019, his first full year as a starter, he defended a team-high ten passes and proved himself a capable tackler, so it’s easy to see him in the mix as a Day Three selection for right now.
In the mix: John Bates, tight end; Kekaula Kaniho, defensive back; Robert Mahone, running back; John Ojukwu, offensive tackle; Khalil Shakir, wide receiver; Avery Williams, cornerback
Colorado State
This one is an easy call: Wide receiver Warren Jackson emerged as one of the best in the conference last fall by averaging 14.5 yards per catch on 77 receptions. At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, he’ll continue to be a nightmare for pretty much any defensive back with the potential to be the next Plaxico Burress or Vincent Jackson, another feather in the cap for CSU’s standing as Wide Receiver U in the conference.
In the mix: Ellison Hubbard, defensive lineman; Trey McBride, tight end; Patrick O’Brien, quarterback; Ryan Stonehouse, punter
Fresno State
He may be undersized among prospects at the position, but that didn’t stop running back Ronnie Rivers from having his best year yet in 2019. He averaged nearly 20 touches per game and scored 16 total touchdowns and, with an uncertain quarterback situation and a developing crew of pass catchers around him, he could be counted upon to do even more.
In the mix: Kevin Atkins, defensive tackle; Justin Rice, linebacker; Syrus Tuitele, offensive lineman
Hawaii
He’ll have something to prove to NFL personnel after missing most of 2019 to injury, but Kohl Levao has been one of the Warriors’ most versatile offensive linemen over the past two seasons, spending time at tackle, guard and center in the 18 games he has played since 2018. With so much to replace elsewhere on the offense, a return to form could help the 6-foot-6, 340-pound Levao go a long way.
In the mix: Eugene Ford, defensive back; Gene Pryor, offensive lineman; Jared Smart, wide receiver; Taaga Tuulima, center
Nevada
2019 was a rollercoaster for the Wolf Pack, but wide receiver Elijah Cooks quietly emerged as one of the best in the Mountain West while serving as Carson Strong’s number one target. He had more opportunity to display the athleticism behind his 6-foot-4 frame, making a number of highlight reel catches, and could be a mid-round sleeper with another step forward.
In the mix: Nate Brown, offensive lineman; Sam Hammond, defensive end; Dom Peterson, defensive end
Buckled up Jags fans, it appears the nation’s NFL analysts are projecting a bumpy season.
While the Jacksonville Jaguars had a solid 2020 NFL Draft and could have a solid nucleus after using all 12 of their picks this past weekend, many don’t believe they’ll be very good next year. In fact, the good folks at BetMGM feel as though the Jags have the slimmest chance to win Super Bowl LV, slotting them with odds of 150/1, which is tied with the Washington Redskins.
Of course, that has led many to believe the Jags will be picking first overall in the 2021 NFL Draft that will take place in Cleveland. Additionally, it has also connected them to the prospect who most draft pundits have down as their No. 1 prospect in Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Upon searching the web, it didn’t take long to find a few way-too-early mocks with the Jags taking the young Tiger. In fact, one that came across the Jags Wire’s Twitter timeline Saturday was by The Draft Network’s Trevor Sikkema, who also had the Jags getting Lawrence’s teammate Justyn Ross with their other first-round selection (from the Los Angeles Rams).
Gardner Minshew is the guy in Jacksonville for 2020. If the Jaguars are picking anywhere near the top, quarterback will be their biggest need; they’ll get the QB prospect NFL fans have been waiting for for years.
Lawrence to Justyn Ross sounds so good on the broadcasts, why break that up?
Talk about a pairing. While I’m more of a Justin Fields type of guy, Lawrence and Ross have done some phenomenal things on the collegiate level and Jags fans should have their popcorn ready if this happens.
Sporting News was another publication that has posted their way-too-soon mock and it bared the same result with the No. 1 overall pick, however, the Jags were able to land some defensive help with their other first-round selection.
The Jaguars may be sticking with Gardner Minshew. And with more potential departures to shake up their offensive and defensive rebuild, there’s a fair chance they will have the clear shot at Lawrence. Lawrence (6-6, 220 pounds) has lived up to the hype of being the best college talent at the position since John Elway with his arm, athleticism, accuracy and winning qualities. Already a top passer, he found his groove as a runner last season.
The Jaguars strongly consider linebacker, edge rusher and secondary in the 2020 draft, so it follows they would be more into this defensive position in 2021, looking to give third-round rookie Davon Hamilton a strong complement. Look for Ray to dominate during his final season with the Crimson Tide at 6-5, 292 pounds.
Just like the pairing of Lawrence and Ross, the pairing of LaBryan Ray and DaVon Hamilton sound pretty good two. After years of watching the pairing of John Henderson and Marcus Stroud, it would seem as though a lot of Jags fans could get behind this.
The crew over at CBS also have a 2021 way-too-soon mock up by Ryan Wilson. He spoke with analysts Barton Simmons and Pete Prisco (who knows the Jags very well). Prisco praised Lawrence as a very good quarterback and said he’s a better quarterback than 2020 first-round pick Joe Burrow, who Lawrence battled in the national championship.
CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)
Of course, there is a lot of football to be played before we even try to start remotely predicting the Jags’ 2021 outlook but it does provide fans with a fun conversation to have.
This also doesn’t mean that Gardner Minshew II should be overlooked as he led the Jags to six wins in 2019. He’ll have some new weapons in draft selections Laviska Shenault and Collin Johnson and will also have a new veteran tight end in Tyler Eifert to target if he can stay healthy. Add that with some more growth from Leonard Fournette and D.J. Chark, with the return of Josh Oliver, and it appears the Mississippi Mustache could really improve.
If he takes a big enough step, awesome, the Jags have their quarterback of the future. If not, that may not necessarily be a bad thing either as it could lead them to a front-row seat for the Lawrence or Fields show.
Sure the 2020 NFL Draft just ended, but it is never too early to think about the next one. Here are the players to watch on defense.
Over the past three days 32 NFL teams did everything they could to improve their odds for a Super Bowl title. Surprise selections were made, some teams filled big needs while others looked to the future, and a good time was had by all. In fact, it was so enjoyable that maybe we should think about doing it again.
And we will, in about a year for now.
We do not know yet what form the next college football season will take. Are we going to see games in the fall, or will there be a winter/spring college football season? Are we going to see crowded stadiums, or empty venues. Regardless of how that plays out, there is always a new crop of new prospects to get to know over the summer. The offensive half of this list is already available, and here is the defensive half.
Interior Defensive Linemen
(Glenn Beil-USA TODAY Sports)
1. Marvin Wilson, Florida State
2. Jaylen Twyman, Pittsburgh
3. Tyler Shelvin, LSU
4. Christian Barmore, Alabama
5. Darius Stills, West Virginia
6. Jay Tufele, USC
7. Mustafa Johnson, Colorado
8. Tedarrell Slaton, Florida
9. Damion Daniels, Nebraska
10. LaBryan Ray, Alabama
It was somewhat of a surprise when Marvin Wilson decided to return to Florida State for his senior campaign. Wilson notched career-highs last season in sacks (five) tackles for a loss (eight and a half) and tackles (44), and was considered a first-round selection. In fact, the NFL Draft Advisory Committee gave him a first round grade, but he decided to return to campus. Wilson told the Tallahassee Democrat that he had unfinished business with the Seminoles. “I feel like we’ve got to rep the spear a lot better. I feel like we’ve got to come out and dominate the football field and we didn’t do that the last couple years and I just can’t leave Florida State knowing I’ve got an extra year left. I just want to come out and give my all one last year.”
Shelvin had a big year for the LSU Tigers during their run to the title. The defensive tackle had 13 starts at nose tackle and recorded 39 tackles, including three for a loss, while getting double-teamed on almost every snap. Pittsburgh’s Twyman was the first interior lineman to lead Pittsburgh in sacks since 2013. That player? Aaron Donald. Ray from Alabama battled injuries last year, but if healthy he can be an impact player on the inside.
Sure the 2020 NFL Draft just ended, but it is never too early to think about the next one. Here are the players to watch on offense.
Over the past three days 32 NFL teams did everything they could to improve their odds for a Super Bowl title. Surprise selections were made, some teams filled big needs while others looked to the future, and a good time was had by all. In fact, it was so enjoyable that maybe we should think about doing it again.
And we will, in about a year for now.
We do not know yet what form the next college football season will take. Are we going to see games in the fall, or will there be a winter/spring college football season? Are we going to see crowded stadiums, or empty venues. Regardless of how that plays out, there is always a new crop of new prospects to get to know over the summer. In that spirit, here is a way-too-early 2021 NFL Draft watchlist, starting on the offensive side of the football.
Quarterbacks
(Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports)
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
2. Justin Fields, Ohio State
3. Jamie Newman, Georgia
4. Trey Lance, North Dakota State
5. K. J. Costello, Mississippi State
6. Sam Ehlinger, Texas
7. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
8. Kyle Trask, Florida
9. Sean Clifford, Penn State
10. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields are obviously the headliners, but do not overlook the other names on this list. Lawrence has looked every bit the part of a future first-overall selection since his time on campus, leading the Clemson Tigers to a national championship as a true freshman, and then back to the title game as a sophomore. He has the arm, processing speed and athleticism that NFL teams covet. Fields stepped into the Ohio State lineup and was impressive last season, throwing 41 touchdown and just three interceptions. K.J. Costello might be in a position to put up huge numbers, after transferring to Mississippi State to play for Mike Leach in his Air Raid system. But keep an eye on NDSU passer Trey Lance. The rising redshirt sophomore threw 28 touchdowns last year for the Bison, without an interception, and he also ran for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns. He became the first freshman to win the Walter Payton Award, given to the top offensive player in FCS. He might not enter the draft, but another year like last season could find him making the leap.
The Baltimore Ravens pull off a trade with the Minnesota Vikings and get SMU WR James Proche at No. 201
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With just one final pick remaining, the Baltimore Ravens had to get one last trade-in. They trade with the Minnesota Vikings for the No. 201 pick in the sixth round and grab SMU wide receiver James Proche.
According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, the Ravens packaged their No. 225 (seventh round) and a 2021 fifth-round pick in order to move up to No. 201 and gain a seventh-round pick (No. 219).
Despite being a sixth-round selection, Proche was highly productive at SMU. He played in 49 games, catching 301 passes for 3,949 yards and 39 touchdowns over four seasons. Part of the reason for Proche’s excellent production was because he knows how to get open, using route running and good footwork to find open space. Proche is physical in jump-ball situations and tracks deep passes well, which should come in handy with Baltimore’s aggressive offense.
More importantly and likely why the Ravens were interested in him here, is that Proche has experience as a return specialist, both on punts and kickoffs. With no clear-cut starter at either return spot, adding a capable player there is a smart move this late in the draft.
Looking ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft and the betting odds for who will be the first overall pick.
We’re just finishing up the 2020 NFL Draft, but we’ll take a look ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft and a few potential candidates for the first overall pick next April.
The Cincinnati Bengals nabbed LSU QB Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He is the third straight Heisman Trophy winner and third consecutive quarterback taken with the top overall selection. A signal-caller has been taken first overall in 15 of the past 20 drafts, too. Each of the past three No. 1 overall picks have also been transfer quarterbacks.
While that last tidbit is a bit interesting, that streak is likely to come to an end in 2021. It’s widely believed Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence (-250) will be the first player to hear his name called next April.
2021 NFL Draft bets: Trevor Lawrence (-250)
Lawrence, who already has a national championship under his belt from 2018, is also considered to be the favorite for the 2020 Heisman Trophy in college football. In just two seasons in the upstate, he has thrown for 6,945 yards with 66 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions while also running for 740 yards and 10 scores.
Lawrence will no longer have WR Tee Higgins to target downfield, as he will be playing on Sundays with Burrow and the Bengals. WR Justyn Ross (+10000) is expected to be the new No. 1 wideout for Lawrence and the Tigers, and he might also be a Top 5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
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2021 NFL Draft bets: Justin Fields (+350)
While Lawrence might be the favorite at this juncture, Ohio State QB Justin Fields (+350) is also a candidate for the top spot in the 2021 NFL Draft. And hey, he was a transfer from Georgia to Ohio State before last season, so he fits the trend we discussed above. Fields had a season to remember in 2019, throwing for 3,273 yards while completing 67.2% of his passes. He also tossed 41 touchdowns while being picked off just three times and he ran for 484 yards and 10 more scores.
Fields will be the trigger man in Ryan Day’s wide-open offense, and he has outstanding WR Chris Olave to reel in those big downfield passes.
2021 NFL Draft bets: Penei Sewell (+500)
If you want to think outside of the box, and believe the quarterback run at No. 1 overall will come to an end, Oregon OT Penei Sewell (+500) might be a potential candidate. Sewell protected QB Justin Herbert, now of the Los Angeles Chargers, and he even received one second-place vote for the Heisman in 2019.
2021 NFL Draft bets: Best of the rest
The Bengals, Chargers and Dolphins all picked quarterbacks early in 2020. If they end up back with the No. 1 pick in 2021, they will certainly not be taking a signal-caller again. That’s why Sewell and Ross could be top picks, and at great value.
In addition, watch LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase (+5000), Clemson RB Travis Etienne (+4000), Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood (+4000), Wake Forest QB Jamie Newman (+4000), Penn State LB Micah Parsons (+2000), and Miami QB D’Eriq King (+1400) and DE Gregory Rousseau (+4000) as potential candidates for the top overall selection.
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